UCLA Drop-In Meditation Classes

MARC is a very big deal. A collaboration between UCLA’s neuroscience and psychology departments, MARC is churning out some of the most game-​changing research in the world on meditation and mental health. They also happen to offer free classes on meditation.
The drop-​in guided meditation sessions are 30 minutes and happen in different places around Westwood and the UCLA campus (see the schedule for times and locations.
). There is usually also a 90 minute class one evening per week which involves guided meditation, group discussion, and a lecture on MARC research that connects to the topic of the night (ie. anxiety, sleep, pain management). All are taught by MARC staff who are at the top of their intellectual game. The 90 minute classes have a $ 15 suggested donation.
I have tried most of the meditation groups in LA. I have never been to a class as transformative as the UCLA 90 minute drop-​in class. The guided meditation portion eases you into something that comes naturally to almost no one. The discussion builds community. The lectures give you motivation and context. Meditations at Buddhist temples and organizations like Against the Stream and the Shambhala Center incorporate a lot more spiritual tradition, which is not a bad thing, but can feel kind of strange for people who are just looking to get into meditation for practical or self-​improvement purposes. UCLA’s classes are a really interesting alternative– a scientific take on an ancient practice so powerful, religions were built around it. It’s an intense and exciting combination.